This invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for computed tomography (CT), and more particularly to methods and apparatus that facilitate prolonged imaging with mobile medical imaging equipment.
Cardiovascular Imaging and/or Interventional Vascular imaging places heavy x-ray power and cooling demands on the x-ray tube during operation. Most systems are “fixed” or stationary systems, thus have permanent heavy duty wiring along with heat exchangers and cooling lines to remote locations where large quantities of heat can be dissipated. Additionally, with stationary systems, the typical power provided is more than the 110 volt 15-30 amp circuit typically found in a common outlet. The advent of mobile C-arm systems has placed heavy demands on power availability from common electrical outlets, and the cooling requirements for the x-ray tube of the mobile system. This has resulted in the need to carefully manage procedures in order to stay within the operating capability of mobile C-arm fluoroscopic equipment.
Also, dose reduction is an increasingly demanding challenge, and drives the need to use greater x-ray beam filtration to increase the imaging effectiveness of the x-ray beam. This further increases the power requirements for imaging, and increases the cooling demands for the x-ray tube and generator system. It would therefore be desirable to increase the available cooling and available power in mobile C-arm fluoroscopic equipment.